Did you know this guy was from Edinburgh? Did you?? I bet you didn’t. I bet nobody in the Edinburgh “scene” ever mentioned him to you did they? I bet you’ve never seen his name mentioned anywhere around the city have you? I bet if you tried to type in Last Days into google you’d find a smattering of posts but nothing of real note written about the man bar his labels biography. Did you know he had 3 records out? I bet you didn’t. And you know what? Either did I. It took a man from Paisley to tell me about this man’s gorgeous music for me to do some digging. And I am so glad I did because what I have found is music of real substance and beauty and reward.

Last Days is Graham Richardson. He’s originally from Newcaslte but moved to Edinburgh in 2001. His music, as his biography describes;

“explores personal themes of stasis and flux, escape and acceptance, security and upheaval. Drawing his moniker and ethos from the bittersweet emotions that often accompany periods of transition and loss, Last Days contrasts the intimacy of lonely field recordings and elementary instruments (a child’s accordion, a single repeated piano note) with cinematic shoegaze swells and complex, interlocking melodies created by the latest in digital technology. The resulting mixes are often melancholy, but ultimately hopeful, acting as musical elegies to the places we can no longer go.”

I love the phrase “often melancholy, but ultimately hopeful’ as it’s something I would attribute to all the music I write as well. I can completely associate with and relate to that statement. I hold my hands up and say the only thing I’ve heard so far by Graham is his second record ‘These Places Are Now Ruins’ and what a gorgeous piece of music, evoking thoughts of home. The ruins of a place once known to you, but now unrecognisable. I really am enjoying it more and more each time I listen and it is more and more rewarding with each play.

Last Days has two other records available as well. His debut ‘Sea’ and his 2009, and most recent, release ‘The Safety Of The North’.

We always seem to talk about a place and it’s best kept secret. Well for me, Last Days must be one of Edinburgh’s best kept secrets. Perhaps he wants to stay that way? However, he needs to be heard and you can hear his stuff here. I recommend that you do. Enjoy.

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4 thoughts on “Last Days”

I don’t like comparing artists, but I want to say that this reminds me of Jonsi & Alex or Akira Kosemura, and I mean it in a good way.

Just like those other two (three) artists, I can’t help but find this music very personal, as it’s not just a musical composition but more of a story that can’t be expressed with words, but only with music. And it’s not just that, I also find it as if these tracks were about me sometimes, which gives me a feeling of sadness and happiness at the same time.

As I’m typing this I’m listening to Last Days’ Myspace and I can’t help but stop every few minutes for no particular reason because I’m being distracted by the music. I don’t know if this happens only to me, but I think if a song/track/composition can have this sort of effect on me, then yes, it is music, it is art.